In a momentous achievement, the UN Joint SDG Fund takes centre stage with the "Economic Development" Award, a testament to our impactful work in Cuba. This recognition unfolded at the prestigious UN SIDS Partnerships Awards ceremony during the 2023 Global Multi-Stakeholder Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Partnership Dialogue on July 11, 2023, at UNHQ in New York. The event was co-chaired by the distinguished leaders of the Steering Committee on Partnerships for SIDS, H.E. Mr. Fatumanava-o-Upolu III Pa'olelei Luteru and H.E. Ms. Ana Paula Zacarias, Permanent Representatives of Samoa and Portugal to the United Nations, respectively.
Our award-winning joint programme on financing economic development in Cuba, nominated by the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Cuba, is a testament to our commitment to fostering sustainable change. Executed in collaboration with the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Resident Coordinator’s Office, this program aimed to cultivate an Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) in Cuba.
Operated under the UN Joint SDG Fund programme for the Development of an Integrated National Financing Framework for the SDGs in Cuba (CIFFRA), our journey unfolded through meticulous stages. From an inception stage involving background mapping and alignment with the national development plan to assessment diagnostics, financing strategy stages, and a final phase focused on monitoring and review, we fortified institutional capacity for SDGs.
In 2022, our joint program engaged over 200 national experts, including government officials and scholars, alongside more than 40 international experts from ECLAC, UNDP, and RCO. Through 12 workshops and three training courses, we delivered 15 reports and 12 policy notes, culminating in a comprehensive roadmap for INFF implementation. Structured around five core pillars and 16 action lines, this roadmap addressed crucial financing landscape issues, resulting in an Integrated Report with over 100 recommendations for INFF implementation.
Cuba's dedication to the SDGs is remarkable, updating and reporting on 66 indicators with ambitious plans for all 166 by 2025. The adoption of transformative instruments, including the Balance Scorecard, Medium-term Budgetary Framework 2023-2026, and the stock-flow macroeconomic model for financing gap costing, reflects the government's commitment. Additionally, innovative instruments are being employed to promote financial inclusion for agricultural MSMEs and local stakeholders.
Resources:
- Global Multi-Stakeholder SIDS partnership Dialogue 2023 | UN Web TV
- UN SIDS Partnerships Awards | Department of Economic and Social Affairs
- Development of an Integrated National Financing Framework for the SDGs in Cuba (CIFFRA)
Note:
The Joint SDG Fund's joint programmes are under the prestige leadership of the Resident Coordinator Office and implementing United Nations Agencies. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
